PT Dental Assistant - Corrections

Job Summary

Entry-level positions for the dental assistant role which is responsible for performing all the delegable clinical dental assisting duties listed in Florida Statutes 466 and Administrative Rules 64B-5, including but not limited to screening and preparing patients for treatment, assisting hygienist/dentists in treating patients, educating patients, and processing instruments, with adherence to HIPAA, CDC, and OSHA standards. Team members are involved in continual training. This is a part-time position for 1 day per week, for 8 hours.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Education and Training:
  • High School diploma or GED required.
  • Successful completion of a Dental Assistant Certificate (EFDA) Training course from an Accredited Dental Assistant school or training program, including dental radiology, is required.
  • Current BLS certificate from nationally recognized organizations that include hands-on skills verification. Online-only or non-recognized certifications are not accepted.
  • Must have a valid Florida Driver’s license and have a reliable form of transportation.
• Experience:
  • No dental assistant experience required, yet preference will be given to candidates with experience and or training.
  • Experience dealing with underserved populations and cultural competency a plus.
• Behavioral Management: Experience working with patients of all ages preferred or willing to train.
• Cultural Competency: Experience dealing with underserved populations and ability to relate to patients of all religions, ethnical and cultural backgrounds preferred.
• Good Communication Skills: Must have good people skills and communicate following the HFHC Core Values.
• Emotional Intelligence and Adaptability: Must be able to stay positive in stressful situations and deal professionally with unhappy, fearful, and confrontational individuals.
• Adherence to Policy and Procedures: Must have a good working knowledge of dental terminology, dental policies and procedures, oral health issues, or be willing to train. Team members must follow the organizational and department professional code of conduct.
• Time Management Skills: Must be able to organize and prioritize workload.
• Competent in General Office Skills such as computers (Microsoft Office products, EHR), faxes, telephones, and copy machines.
• Teamwork: Must be team-oriented and maintain an effective and positive professional working relationship with all clinical and nonclinical staff, including the detention staff at the correctional site.
• Proactive Attitude: Must be willing to train in additional duties and expanded functions to grow professionally within the organization.
• Flexibility and Attendance: Must be able to work the assigned day and time for dental services.
• Bilingual a plus:

Essential Functions

• Chairside dental assisting tasks as allowed by the Florida Statutes and Administrative Rules as well as:
  • Identify patients using Double Identifiers – i.e. name and birth date.
  • Document patients’ chief complaints in their patient’s own words.
  • Collects and records medical history, list of medications and allergies, surgeries, hospitalization, and social/dental history records.
  • Obtain and record in medical record patient vitals, including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and or glucose levels (when applicable), height, and weight as needed.
  • Operates dental X-ray equipment and takes diagnostic dental X-rays as prescribed by the dentist.
  • Handle dental instruments, including cleaning/oiling, bagging, sterilization/disinfection, and re-circulation following OSHA and CDC standards.
  • Assists in educating patients regarding oral hygiene, treatment options and plans, dental consent and provides witness signatures prior to specialty procedures.
  • Assist the dentist through 4-handed dentistry, including suction, handling dental materials, and transferring instruments.
  • Performs preventative dental treatment including but not limited to clinical crown polishing, tooth flossing, sealant, and fluoride placement as delegated by the supervising dentist.
  • Performs operatory disinfection before and after dental procedures.
  • Records accurate dental charting of existing restorations, new dental caries, and planned restorations.
  • Assists the dentist in completion of dental exam and procedure documentation and closes procedure codes at the end of each visit.
  • Completes any necessary paperwork/data entry required into the medical record.
  • Assists in patient scheduling.
  • Presents treatment plans prepared by the dentist and obtains patient signatures.
  • Provide patient education, including oral hygiene and post-operative instructions.
• Proactively participates in patient care to ensure office efficiency and productivity.
• Assists with maintenance of the office inventory, dental equipment and logs as instructed by assigned dentist.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to stand or sit chairside for extended periods of time.
• Must have manual dexterity to allow for the handling of specialized dental equipment.
• Must have clear vision to allow inspection of instruments for cleanliness, residue or defects.